Rail-joint and cross-tie.



PATENTED FEBI24, 1903.

W. T. MOBRIDE.

` RAIL JOINT AND GROSS TIE.

APPLICATION Hmm JAN. 27, eo.

HO MODEL.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM T. MCBRIDE, OF FRANKFORT, INDIANA.

RAlL-JOINT AN D CO SS-TIE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. '721,218, dated February 24, 1903. Application filed January 27, 1902. Serial Ilo. 91,360. (No model.)

To all whom, 't may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM T. MCBRIDE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Frankfort, in the county of Clinton and State of Indiana, have invented certain 'new and useful Improvements in Rail-Joints and Cross-Ties; and I do hereby declare the followingto be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention appertains to cross-ties and rail-joint construction 5 andit consists of certain combination of details, as will be hereinafter fully described, and pointed out in the claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which are made a part of this application. The object of my invention is to provide reliable means of simple Construction whereby a rail-joint and a suitable supporting-tie therefor will be provided.

A further object of my inventionvis to provide a fish-plate of such Construction which is adapted to fit in a recess provided in the tie whereby the fish-plate, rail, and tie will be reliably held in operative combination with each other.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of my invention complete. Fig. 2 is a transverse section thereof, taken on aline central to the tie. Fig. 3 illustrates in perspective detail a view of one form of fish-plate employed by me. Fig. 4 illustrates means employed by me to support and lock the rail in union with the tie. Fig. 5 is a perspective detail of the locking key employedto hold the securing-block in place, the use of said key being illustrated in Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is a perspective detail View showing that form of looking device illustrated in Fig. 4 applied to use. Fig. 7 is a transverse section of the rail shown in Fig. 6, also showing a section of the plate attached to the locking-block. Fig. 8 is a View somewhat similar to that shown in Fig. 7. Fig. 9 is a perspective detail View showing the means employed to hold the rail in union with the tie, said View being taken from the opposite side from thatpresented in Fig. 1. Fig. 10 is a perspective detail View showinga portion of the fish-plate and a contiguous part of the tie.

Referring to the nu merals on the drawings, 1 indicates the rail, which is of the usual or any preferred construction,while 2 designates my improved metallic cross-tie, which is cut away at a proper point upon its upper surface to providea suitable seatto receive the ends of the rail and also receive the means employed to holdsaid ends in locked engagement with each other. In the present instance I will call attention to the preferred means for uniting the ends of the rails together, such means being illustrated in detail in Figs. 3 and 9. I prefer to so form the recess in the upper side of the tie that it will properly receive the base-plate 3, which forms an integral part of the fish-plate 4, the latter being designed to snugly fit against the side ot' the rail in the usual manner and provided with the apertures 5, whereby the fish-plate may be locked in position by means of the retaining-bolts 6, as shown in Fig. 1. I also construct'the fish-plate that it will be provided with the centrally-'disposed extension or looking-block 7, as fully shown in Fig. 3, said block being provided with the tapering wedge-like edge 8 and also with the baseflange 9, said face and flange being adapted to fit corresponding seats in a contiguous wall of the tie, and it is therefore obvious that inasmuch as the block 7 presents a wedge-like condition to the tie, as shown in Fig. 6, the rail may be very securel y locked in place when said wedge orlockng-block isdriven home in its seat. After the said block has been thus driven home in its seat, so as to bring the fishplate tightly against the web of the rail, the said block is locked in position by means of the key 10, one end of which is bent upward `to fill the recess 11, while the other end is bent downward to lie snugly against a contignous part of the tie. By said means said block will be held against casual withdrawal.

Designed to complement the fish-plate 4 is the fish-plate 12, which is provided with an integral centrally-disposed lateral extension 13, designed to fit a suitable recess in a contiguous part of the tie, as fully illustrated in Fig. 9. It will thus be observed that the ex- IOO tension or rib 13 will hold the fish-plate 12 against longitudinal movement, and since said fish-plate is locked by means of the bolts 6 to the rails said rails Will be also anchored with respect to said tie and have no relative movement with respect thereto.

If preferred, the fish-plate may be formed as shown in Fig. 1, so that the fish-plate proper, 14, will form an integral part of the base-plate 15, which latter extends entirely under a contiguous part of the rails, and thus practically broadens the base or support therefor coincident with the length of said base-plate. The base-plate thus provided and the fish-plate 14 are locked in place in the recess provided in the tie by means of the locking-block 16, said block being retained in place by means of the key 10, as above set forth. In Fig. 4 I have illustrated that the base-plate corresponding to the base-section 3, which I have for convenience designated by the numeral 17, may be formed integral with the looking-block 18, which latter is also provided with the wedge-like face 8 and the flange 9 for a purpose above set forth. The said looking-block is also provided with the end recess designed to receive the angular extension of the key 10. It will thus be observed that the said parts may be variously modified, altered, or changed and, in fact, interchauged without impairing the efficiency of my invention, and I therefore wish to cover in this application all the various forms herein presented, together with such substantial equivalents and substitutes as may be considered as falling within the scope of my invention.

By a careful study of the details of my invention it will be obvious that various modifications may be made by adapting the different elements so that they may coperate with each other under different forms-as, for instance, I may in some cases prefer to form the parts 14, 15, and 16 as one integral piece, as clearly set forth in Fig. 3. It is clear that this result may be readily accomplished during the process of manufacture, in which case there would of course be no line of separation shown between the part 16 and the parts 14 and 15 as now presented in Figs. 1 and 2. In some instances it may also be desirable to form the parts 12 and 13 as an integral extension or practical continuation of the material forming the tie, though it is thought that best results will follow when the parts 12 and 13 are formed together as a separate and distinct part from the tie, inasmuch as the tie may be constructed of a much lower grade of metal, which perhaps would not be suitable for standing the severe strain ordinarily placed upon a fish-plate. Since, therefore, these various combinations may be adopted by the manufacturer, I deem it unnecessary for the purpose of this application to separately illustrate the various and different groupings of the said elements as are obviously possible, though I wish to comprehend all of them and all substitutes and equivalents.

The construction presented in Fig. 4 will be found upon examination to be substantally the same con'struction as part of the subject-matter heretofore submitted by meto wit, in my application, Serial No. 73,634, filed August 27, 1901-and it is illustrated in this case for the purpose of showing the adaptability thereof and the possible combination comprehended by me.

It will be understood that the bracing-sections 2 of my tie may be disposed in any preferred way deemed best subservient for the purpose of withstanding the strain placed upon the tie incident to its use, as said bracing-section may extend to the top portion of the tie, as illustrated, or only up to the bottom of the recess occupied by the rail and its accompanying chair or fish-plate support.

I wish to also call attention to the tie coustruction illustrated in Figs. 1 and 6, wherein it will be observed that the tie proper, 2, is provided upon each side with the base extension 19, said base extension being properly reinforced by the reinforcing-brackets 20, all constituting an integral part of the tie proper. By the extensions 19, which I dispose directly under the line of the track-rails, I have, in eifect, practically broadened the extent of the ties, and thus insured that said ties will be more reliably anchored in position.

By the use of my invention great rigidity and strength will be imparted to the railjoints, inasmuch as the base-plate 3 and the equivalents herein presented will sustain the meeting ends of the rails and provide an almost-continuous support therefor extending from tie to tie. For permanency of track Construction myinvention will, it is thought, therefore prove very desirable and important, inasmuch as the various parts thereof may be comparatively cheaply constructed, so as to be interchangeable in their application to use and readily assembled in their operative positions.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- 1. In cross-ties and rail-joints, the combination with a tie having a suitable recess, one edge of which is cut away to receive the extension 13 of one of the fish-plates while the opposite edge of the recess in the tie is adapted to coperate with an integral wedgelike extension carried by the opposite fishplate all combined substantially as specified and for the purpose set forth.

2. The herein-described rail-joint comprising a pair of fish-plates, one edge of which is provided with a lateral extension or rib 13 while the opposite fish-plate is formed with the rail-supporting flange 3 and an integral lateral extension 7, said parts 7 and 13 being IOO TIO

o outer edge, and means carried by said extension to engage and coperate With a contigu- ,ous part of the tie,`a11 combined substantially as specified and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature 15 in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM T. MCBRIDE.

Witnesses:

M. L. OONLEY, E. A. SP AY, 

